Such a Bright Future
by moonswirl
Summary: Gleekathon, day 1033a. Mike is on his way out to bigger and better things, but still he thinks of home - Faves cycle, day 4 of 21, Top 5 characters - Number 5


_Started my daily ficlets to make the hiatus pass, then decided to keep going with a 2nd cycle, and then a 3rd, 4th, etc through 49th cycle. Now cycle 50!_

* * *

**CYCLE 50 SPECIAL FAVORITES CHART - **_So I've done 'favorites' cycles before, and this is another one, but since it's cycle 50, I wanted to do something special for it. So instead of the usual top 16 with a 6-chapter Boston Britt installment for Brittany (who has always been and remains number one ;)), this is how it will be: It's shift days through the cycle. Shift B will be a 21-chapter/day Boston Britt. In shift A, after the first day's 'extra' dedicated to New Directions, there will be four Top 5 lists, working their way down (all the number 5 spots, all the number 4 spots, number 3, 2, and finishing with all the number one spots)_

_The Top 5's are as follows (all are my 'top 5 favorite...'):  
* Top 5 Series (my series)  
* Top 5 Friendships  
* Top 5 Characters  
* Top 5 Relationships_

_**TODAY: Top 5 Characters: #5 - Mike**  
_

* * *

_**This is a double shift day.** There will be one more upload today: Those Are Wooden Wings, chapter 4._

* * *

**"Such a Bright Future"  
Mike (+ parents, Tina)**

He had never seen this moment come, not like this. Growing up, he'd known what was expected of him, and it wasn't until later that he'd realized it wasn't enough. He knew what his father wanted him to do, and for a while he didn't question it, because why would he? There was nothing in his life to challenge it.

He'd been dancing for a while just by himself, hidden away in his room. He was shy, yes, but he was also at least aware that even as leisure, it didn't fit in the plans laid out for him.

But then he'd joined Glee Club, and what had been something private had become just one of the best things in his life. His room wasn't enough anymore; those walls felt like a restriction. With time going by he just knew… he belonged on stage, under those bright lights.

With that realization though, he also had to know that no matter how motivated he was, in his father's eyes, it wouldn't be enough, it would not be left to him. It would be taken away so he had kept it something separate from home. He continued to apply himself, wanting to leave no room for doubt.

But then he'd slipped, or his grades had at least. It wasn't a catastrophe to most people, maybe not even to him. But he knew it'd be another matter with his father, enough to put his dancing on the radar.

That had been one of the hardest times in his life, and for a moment he thought he'd lose his father. Thing was, for how much they had differing points of view on that one matter, it didn't change the fact Mike loved him, didn't want to disappoint him, or at least didn't want to lose him.

But then things had started to turn around. Having his mother there to support him, to see him, had been great. To have his father… he hadn't expected that turn around, but when it came, that was when he knew just how scared he'd been of losing having his father in his life. And this was actually better than just having him in his life, this was him acknowledging his dreams, his desires, and not shutting them out. His father would be by his side.

And then months later it had paid off. When he'd gone to show both his parents what he had received, to see pride in their eyes… He could never forget it, never…

Now the time had come. He was packing up, getting ready to leave home and start off toward his future. He could hardly believe this was happening, still felt so soon, so sudden, even years in the making as it was. It still felt like a moment ago he was dancing alone in his room, not anywhere near… this.

His mother had been running around non-stop, it seemed, for the last few days. She would grab piles of still clean clothes from the closet, or drawers, and she'd wash them again before putting them in suitcases or boxes. She'd also gather anything she knew or thought he might need. He would have stopped her, but Tina had been the one to 'translate' the actions: she was growing aware he was about to leave, and this was how she had chosen to cope.

He was going to be sad about leaving her, too. He had never been away from her, or his father, like this before, obviously. It was a big step, and as much as he might be able to go about the process, he knew he would feel a void, not seeing his family every day.

Even just trying to speak to her about it, she looked like she was avoiding it and so she was avoiding him trying to talk about it. They couldn't ignore it forever. Before long there would be nothing left to pack, and unless she found something else to concentrate on, she'd have to talk to him… It wasn't like she'd let him go without saying goodbye.

And then there was his father. He'd spend so much time being afraid of how he'd react to the things that really made his heart soar, now it was out in the open and, despite everything, they were actually and finally getting to a place where they were doing well, getting along, on the same page… and now Mike was leaving home. Part of him worried what this would do to their just forming new bond. They couldn't just go back to zero again.

The day of his departure had just snuck up on all of them. His mother still treated this as a non-event, like it wasn't really happening, until he had hugged her, and then she had burst into tears. She'd promise that it was only out of pride and love and nothing else, and he knew it to be true. He told her he'd miss her, too, and she'd just gone on crying. So he continued to hold her.

His father would take his goodbyes as Mike expected them. He gave his son advice, tips he felt were fitting to a young man on his way out into the world. Mike could just see how much he was proud, too, and if his goodbyes to his mother, and to Tina earlier, hadn't been hard enough…

He had hugged his father, showing no hesitation. He knew it wasn't common practice between them, but he still had to do it. He wanted to remember this feeling, this time.

He had spent years believing his dreams would only ever remain that, dreams. Now he knew that his work, his determination, all of it had paid off… and he couldn't have done it without his family, blood or no.

THE END

* * *

******A/N: This is a one-shot ficlet, which means that signing up for story alert will not bring you any alerts.  
****In the event of a sequel, the story will be separate from this one. And as chapter stories go, they are  
************always clearly indicated as such [ex: "Days 204-210" in the summary] Thank you!**


End file.
